Sweet Treats

Complete your winter feast with an after-dinner indulgence. Whether you're craving something fruity or chocolatey there's a recipe to satisfy every sweet tooth.

Chocolate Pear Loaf

A chocolate pear loaf is sure to satisfy any sweet tooth.

Prep 15 mins | Cook 1 hour | Makes 1

Ingredients:

540g Devil’s Food cake mix

3 eggs

¾ cup water

⅓ cup vegetable oil

4 medium pears, core removed from base

2 tablespoons icing sugar

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 27cm x 11.5cm x 6.5cm deep (base measurement) (8 cup capacity) loaf pan with baking paper. Prepare cake mix as per packet instructions. Spoon one-third of cake batter into the base of prepared loaf pan. Stand pears in cake batter. Spoon remaining cake batter around and over pears until covered

2. Bake loaf for 50-60 minutes or until cooked through when tested in the centre with a skewer. Allow to stand for 10 minutes before transferring loaf to a wire rack to cool. Dust with icing sugar and serve

TIP: We used Betty Crocker Devil’s Food Cake mix.

Recipe by Australian Pears | rediscoverthepear.com.au

Pear and Almond Mug Cake

Prep 10 mins | Cook 1 min | Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 large pear

⅔ cup self-raising flour

2 tablespoons almond meal

2 tablespoons caster sugar

2 eggs

⅓ cup milk

40g butter, melted and cooled

½ teaspoon vanilla

¼ cup maple syrup, to serve

Icing sugar, to dust

Method:

1. Finely dice half the pear and cut remaining half into thin wedges. Combine flour, almond meal and sugar in a small bowl. Whisk egg, milk, butter and vanilla in a jug. Add to flour mixture and stir until combined. Stir through diced pear

2. Spoon cake batter into 4 x ¾ cup capacity cups. Microwave on high for 60-70 seconds or until cake has risen and top is just set. Stand pear wedges up in cooked cakes. Drizzle with maple syrup and dust with icing sugar. Serve immediately

Recipe by Australian Pears | rediscoverthepear.com.au

Mini Sponge Cakes with Pears and Salted Caramel Sauce

These mini sponge cakes are ready to serve in a flash.

Prep 10 mins | Serves 6

Ingredients:

225g unfilled rectangular sponge slab

150ml tub double thick cream

2 small pears, quartered, core removed, cut into thin wedges

⅓ cup purchased salted caramel flavoured topping

50g hokey pokey honeycomb bar, finely chopped

Method:

1. Cut sponge slab into 6 squares or using a biscuit cutter, cut into 7cm rounds. Place sponge cake onto serving plates. Top with cream and pear wedges. Drizzle over caramel topping and sprinkle with hokey pokey. Serve

TIP: A pear-fect dessert ready in 10 minutes.

Recipe by Australian Pears | rediscoverthepear.com.au

Buttermilk and Vanilla Bean Scones

Delicious for breakfast or dessert — and any time in between.

Ingredients:

3 cups self-raising flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

¼ cup caster sugar

4 tablespoons (80 g) Western Star Spreadable Original Soft, chilled

1½ cups buttermilk (plus extra for brushing)

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract

Icing sugar, for dusting

300 mL Western Star Thickened Cream, whipped, and raspberry jam, to serve

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 220˚C/200˚C fan-forced. Place flour, baking powder, salt and sugar into a large bowl. Dot with the Western Star Spreadable Original Soft. Using your fingertips, rub together until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs

2. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients. Whisk buttermilk and vanilla in a jug. Pour mixture into dry ingredients. Using a dinner knife, quickly mix until just combined (add a little more buttermilk to the mixture if needed). Pull dough together into a rough ball. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead just until a smooth dough forms. Press the dough into a 3 cm thick circle. Using a 5 cm cookie cutter dusted with flour, cut 12 rounds from the dough (re-rolling dough as necessary)

3. Place scones close together onto a lightly greased baking tray lined with baking paper. Brush tops with extra buttermilk. Bake for 20-23 minutes until pale golden and cooked through. Remove scones from pan and wrap in a clean tea-towel. Set aside to cool

4. Dust warm scones with icing sugar. Serve split scones topped with whipped cream and raspberry jam. Add fresh seasonal berries, if liked

Recipe by Western Star | westernstarbutter.com.au

Waffles with Caramel Ice Cream and Pears

Prep 5 mins | Cook 10 mins | Serves 6

Ingredients:

25g butter

2 tablespoon brown sugar

6 small pears, peeled, halved

6 thick waffles

Salted caramel ice cream, to serve

Method:

1. Melt butter in a frying pan over medium heat. When sizzling add the brown sugar and stir until sugar has melted. Add pears, cut side down and cook for 3 minutes. Turn and cook for 3 minutes or until pears are caramelised and softened. Remove from heat and cool

2. Toast waffles and place onto serving plates. Top with a small scoop of ice cream. Place pear and sauce over ice cream and serve immediately

Recipe by Western Star | westernstarbutter.com.au